Loneliness is one of the leading complaints by college students, exacerbated by feelings of isolation, stress and the challenge of leading independent lives. But this problem extends far beyond just college campuses — former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has called loneliness a national epidemic and it is only getting worse.

At Cornell, loneliness is a pervasive issue. Social platforms like Sidechat regularly feature posts from students expressing their struggles with feeling like they have no friends or support system. These posts garner much sympathy and empathy from other students who relate to the feeling. Many people attribute loneliness to an increase in phone usage and engagement in social media. However, at Cornell, I believe it is a multitude of factors that play a bigger role in perpetuating chronic feelings of loneliness.

For instance, the sheer size of Cornell’s 745-acre campus contributes to loneliness among the student body. Students live in distinctly spread out areas — North, South and West Campus — while balancing hectic class schedules, making socialization harder. Plus, its isolated location proves tough for students to get out of the campus bubble and immerse themselves in Ithaca. It feels as if........

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